Campus protests – updates [26 October]

Student protests, arising from the #FeesMustFall movement, are continuing into their third week. Things are moving quickly at campuses around the country and the Daily Vox Team is here to track them.

11:07, Wits After much debate on whether to continue the protest or not, the Wits SRC released a statement confirming that, while not all its demands had been met by the state or university, academic activities would resume at Wits on Wednesday.

Within minutes of the news being made public however, rumours began circulating that the SRC had been influenced into capitulating by political higher-ups. Expect lots of internal politics to play out tomorrow.

17:35 UP After extensive discussions, students signed a formal agreement with the principal and vice-chancellor at UP, and agreed that academic activities would resume on Tuesday.

17:05 UJ Once things got off the ground at UJ’s mass meeting earlier, students demanded that management set a time frame for achieving free education and ending outsourcing and that the university protect the right to protest at UJ and give assurances that students would not be victimised for participating in the #FeesMustFall protests. In addition, they called for student unity and an end to closed door meetings between the SRC and management.

Five take-aways from this morning’s meeting at UJ: Students want 3 demands presented to management, to which management…

15:55 UWC Meanwhile at the University of the Western Cape, students have occupied the Life Sciences building. They are demanding that the Kovacs residence become institutionally owned, that debt be scrapped and that fee pricess fall.

15:52, WITS Students are to attend a mass meeting, set for 7pm this evening, to decide whether to continue with the academic programme tomorrow or not.

15:33, UJ Things are tense at the University of Johannesburg where arguments between various student leaders are reported to have broken out at a public meeting on campus.

A fight is breaking out for the microphone. Everyone wants to be the voice. #UJFeesMustFall

15:30, NMMU Students at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University are still having an open session with their vice-chancellor, Derrick Swartz.

15:12, WITS The Wits SRC is expected to release a statement soon in response to a set of measures proposed by university management to “get the academic programme back on track”.

15:00, UP Rumours have been circulating online that Cheryl De La Rey, the vice-chancellor, of the University of Pretoria is set to agree to a list of 19 demands laid out by student groups there. However, De La Rey’s spokesperson Anna-Retha Brouwer could not confirm this; De La Rey is still currently negotiating with students. The university earlier waived registration fees for needy students and announced there would be no increases to residence accommodation fees, meal fees and any initial payments.

Hi I just want to say that I think this is going too far, I support the movement to free education . However the protests are affecting some students examinations , and I don’t think free education should be for thosw who can afford it. I also feel like funds need to be used For other issues in our country like the lack of basic infrastructure , proper sanitation and clean water that millions of people are without ! I’m not against this however it can’t be immediate! I also worry that many people will take free tertiary education for granted and fail!

I find it very disappointing that the Daily Vox is no longer reporting as things happen at Wits. We have come to rely on you for insightful, independent reporting and commentary. You set the pace and showed the mainstream media how live-tweeting and live-streaming of news can and should be done. What happened? Why the sudden descent into silence? What is happening to your voice? Please let us know.